Building Bridges: GiGi’s Changes Lives through Community Businesses
Local businesses are the heart of every community. While platforms like Amazon have made online shopping more popular than ever, there’s still no substitute for stepping into a local shop — a florist, coffee shop, or countless other brick-and-mortars — and interacting with local employees and businesses owners. Entering small businesses allows consumers...
DOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH — LEADING THE WAY TO ACCEPTANCE
We’ve all been there before — we walk into a room, and for whatever reason, it feels like all eyes are on us. For most of us, this is a fleeting feeling, but for individuals with Down syndrome, this is a daily reality. Individuals with Down syndrome wear their diagnosis...
GiGi’s Playhouse Advocates for Acceptance this Down Syndrome Awareness Month
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 1, 2024 – As October begins, GiGi’s Playhouse, the only network of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers, is celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month all month long by shining a light on all things Down syndrome: the beauty, the triumphs, the challenges, and the steps the world still...
GiGi’s Playhouse Set to Open 61st Location in Portland, Oregon
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 20, 2024 (Portland, OR) — GiGi’s Playhouse, the only network of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers, is proud to announce the grand opening of its newest Playhouse in Portland, OR, on Saturday, September 28. The Portland Playhouse marks GiGi’s first brick-and-mortar location in Oregon and the organization’s...
THE 61st Playhouse: GiGi’s Portland is Ready to Serve the Community!
In life, nothing happens overnight. Before a significant achievement, milestone, or modicum of success can be reached, days, months, and even years of hard work and determination must be put in. Our newest Playhouse, GiGi’s Playhouse Portland is a testament to this idea. Opening on September 28, our Portland Playhouse...
Sheena’s story: Advocating on behalf of her son and the entire community
**This story was submitted via our #MyDsStory submissions Written by our guest writer, Sheena Stropki When I saw the post to share my DS story, I immediately started thinking about all the things I see and hope not only for my son, but also all of the individuals I have...
From Diagnosis to Joy: Celebrating Down Syndrome
Being a parent to a newborn is one of life’s greatest gifts. But it can also be daunting. While parents are overjoyed by the arrival of this amazing new life, they also want to know that their child will have a bright future. This concern is amplified for parents of...
Taking it to the Streets: Phoenix Playhouse Launches ‘GiGi’s on the Go’
At GiGi’s, our Playhouses are like sanctuaries. Inside our walls, we offer our participants and their families more than FREE programming – we offer love, support, and acceptance. Our 60+ Playhouses are safe havens for individuals with Down syndrome and their parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, volunteers, and the entire community....
Lily’s story: From Mary’s big sister to passionate advocate
**This story was submitted via our #MyDsStory submissions Written by our guest writer, Lily Bauer My little sister Mary Elizabeth is my hero! Since the minute my mom was pregnant with Mary, we have loved her infinitely. We knew she had Down syndrome after my mom’s first US. She has...
The 60th Playhouse: GiGi’s Playhouse – Simi Valley Opens its Doors
It started as a dream. Four years ago, three months into a global pandemic, Kirsten Riddick and Cara Armstrong, two mothers of children with Down syndrome, came together. Their idea was simple: create a social group for their children with Down syndrome, ideally close to their homes in Simi Valley,...
GiGi’s Playhouse Set to Open Landmark 60th Location in Simi Valley
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 12, 2024 (Simi Valley, CA) — It’s a ribbon cutting 21 years in the making. GiGi’s Playhouse, the only network of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers, is thrilled to announce the Grand Opening of its newest Playhouse in Simi Valley, CA, on Saturday, August 17. The Simi...
GOING FOR GOLD – World’s Fastest Man’s Message Relevant to Individuals with DS
If you tuned into the Olympics on Sunday, you witnessed something that directly relates to the mission of GiGi’s Playhouse. ...Yes, you read that right. Though we are Down Syndrome Achievement Centers, and we absolutely love the Special Olympics, the plight and obstacles individuals with Down syndrome face aren’t simply...
